HOOSIER SURVEYOR - c.ymcdn.comc.ymcdn.com/sites/ · Phil Beer Michael Duffy Jason Henderson ... First row, l to r: ... Hoosier Surveyor - Articles for the Fall issue need to be sub-

HOOSIER SURVEYORQUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE

INDIANA SOCIETY OFPROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYORS, INC.

AFFILIATED WITH THEAMERICAN CONGRESS ON

SURVEYING & MAPPING

VOLUME 34

NUMBER 3

WINTER 2008

2008 SOCIETY OFFICERS INDUCTEDMark Isaacs, right, Brownstown, new incoming president of ISPLS, presents the past president’s

gavel plaque to outgoing president, Ed Sweetland, Greenfield, at the recent January 2008annual ISPLS convention held at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Indianapolis.

2008 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

Mark Isaacs - President4337 N County Rd 275 WBrowntown, IN 47220RES: (812) 358-2702 BUS: (812) 372-0996

Todd Bauer - Vice President3864 Ashford Blvd.New Haven, IN46774RES: (260) 494-6673 BUS: (260) 484-9900

Dan Kovert - President Elect8193 Fawnsbrook DriveFishers, IN 46038RES: (317) 841-1083 BUS: (317) 577-8204

Rich Hudson - Secretary574 North 50 WestValparaiso, IN 46385RES: (219) 462-2946 BUS: (219) 462-1158

Dennis Grumpp - Treasurer4244 S 650 WNew Palestine, IN 46163RES:(317) 861-1844 BUS: (317) 826-7100

TERM EXPIRES JAN 2009Todd Bauer - Vice President

Steven Murray1428 East 900 NorthBattle Ground, IN 46920RES: (765) 567-4187 BUS: (765) 423-922

Dan Kovert - President Elect

Ed Sweetland 6793 W. Colonial DriveIndianapolis, IN 46140RES: (317) 891-1137 BUS: (317) 544-4996

Jim Tibbett R.R. 2 Box 240Linton, IN 47441RES: (812) 847-3254 BUS: (812) 847-1952

TERM EXPIRES JAN 2010E. Donald Bengel73 E. Division RoadValparaiso, IN 46383RES: (219) 465-0988 BUS: (219) 462-0690

Rich Hudson - Secretary

Mark Isaacs - President

Ron Wharry 52 W. Clinton StreetFrankfort, IN 46041RES: (765) 654-5385 BUS: (765) 654-5910

TERM EXPIRES JAN 2011Frank Ballintyn 2855 Plantation Ct.Sellersburg, IN 47170RES: (812) 246-9881 BUS: (812) 294-4306

Perry Cloyd3906 Sycamore DriveColumbus, IN 47203RES: (812) 526-2227 BUS: (812) 526-6209

Dennis Grumpp - Treasurer

Dan Kovert - President Elect ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICEDianne S. Bennett, Executive Director55 Monument Circle, Suite 719 Indianapolis, IN 46204(317) 687-8859 Fax:(317)687-5053ISPLS is a Not For Profit Corporation

COMMITTEE ASSIgNMENTS (2008)

government AffairsAdministrator:Daniel Kovert

BOARD OF REGISTRATION

LIAISONEd Sweetland - Chair

COUNTY SURVEYORSSteve Murray - Liaison

GOVERNORGREAT LAKES COUNCILDon Bengel - GovernorTony Gregory - Alternate

GPS-GIS MONUMENTATION

Tom Mahon - ChairSteve MurrayZach BeasleyPerry CloydBoudewijn van GelderJames KovasPaul SandersMichael StevensonRyan SwingleyRobert TylerRalph Wallem

LEGISLATIONRichard Miller - ChairMichael ArenaPhil BeerMichael DuffyJason HendersonBrady KuhnJay PoeJud RouchDavid SmollEd Sweetland

Internal AffairsAdministrator: Daniel Kovert

BY LAWSDon Bengel - ChairRobert GrossRich HudsonWilliam StineRon Wharry

FINANCE & PLANNING

Dennis Grumpp - ChairDianne Bennett-ExDir.Todd BauerDoug HerendeenDan KovertEd SweetlandRich HudsonMark IsaacsJim Tibbett

NOMINATIONSMark Gardner - ChairDoug Herendeen Rich Hudson Daniel Pusey

CommunicationsAdministrator:Todd Bauer

PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA

David Best - ChairMike DavisDianne BennettTodd Bauer

MEMBERSHIPDon West - ChairDaniel KovertRon Wharry

PAST PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL

Perry Cloyd - ChairBill ClarkEd SweetlandFrank BallintynOpen to Past Presidents

PUBLIC INFORMATION &

MARKETINGBrady Kuhn - ChairCorey AllenRichard BeamanZach BeasleyJamison CullenRodney KellyPhil PedenDon West

Prof. DevelopmentAdministrator:Todd Bauer

EDUCATIONBrad Cramer - ChairBruce FrankeBryan CatlinBill ClarkHarold HartNorman HiselmanCarol MormanBrian RaylJohn SilnesWilliam StineAnthony ToscaniRobert Tyler

SCHOLARSHIPSTroy Smith - ChairFrank BallintynLee BenderPhillip BurressCindy CandlerBernard GuerrettazKevin RowlandMark Schepers

TRIG STARTony Gregory - State Coordinator

ISPLS BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2008)First row, l to r: Frank Ballintyn,Sellersburg; Richard Hudson, Valparaiso; Ron Wharry, Frankfort; Don Bengel, Valparaiso; Ed Sweetland, Greenfield; Mark Isaacs, Brownstown; Todd Bauer, Leo; Second row:, l to r: Jim Tibbett, Linton; Dan Kovert, Fishers; Perry Cloyd, Columbus; Steve Murray, Battle Ground; Dennis Grumpp, New Palestine.

Hoosier Surveyor 34-3 Page 1

Masthead ..............................................................................................................................................1President’s Thoughts ............................................................................................................................2ISPLS Board of Directors Meeting Highlights ....................................................................................3Vincennes University Land Surveying Alumni Group ........................................................................5-7Indiana-Michigan State Line Update ...................................................................................................6ISPLS Member to Serve Second Tour of Duty in Iraq ........................................................................11The Northwest Chapter of the ISPLS Celebrates the Holidays ...........................................................13ISPLS 56th Annual Convention Highlights .........................................................................................14-16Welcome New Members/2007 Newly Licensed Land Surveyors ......................................................19Meet A Member ...................................................................................................................................21-23How Much Traffic Protection is Required? .........................................................................................25Calendar/Sustaining Members .............................................................................................................26Firm Members ......................................................................................................................................27-29

HOOSIER SURVEYOR

CONTENTS

VOLUME 34 NUMBER 3 WINTER 2008

EDITORS NOTE Deadlines for copy for various planned issues of the Hoosier Surveyor are as follows: Winter - December 31; Spring - March 31; Summer - June 30; Fall - September 30. The Hoosier Surveyor is published quarterly by the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors to inform land surveyors and related professions, government officials, educational institutions, libraries, contractors, suppliers and associated businesses and industries about land surveying affairs. Articles and columns appearing in this publication do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of ISPLS or the Hoosier Surveyor staff, but are published as a service to its members, the general public and for the betterment of the surveying profession. No responsibility is assumed for errors, misquotes or deletions as to its contents.

Editorial Advertising Offices David B. H. Best - Editor55 Monument Circle, Suite 719 5402 Washington BoulevardIndianapolis, IN 46204 Indianapolis, IN 46220Phone:(317) 687-8859 Fax: (317) 687-5053 Phone: (317) 251-5136 Web Page: www.ispls.org EMail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected]

Hoosier Surveyor 34-3Page 2

PRESIDENT’S THOUgHTSby Mark Isaacs, Brownstown, Indiana

Greetings: I want to first say that it is a great honor to represent the Surveying Society of the State of Indiana as its President. I have been a member of ISPLS for 20 years and have always respected and looked up to those who serve this society as Professional members. As many of you know this business of Land Surveying is very crazy and unpredictable. The variety of different types of Surveys

and experiencing different types of clientele are some of the things that make this business exciting and sometimes challenging. As we go into the year of 2008, I expect the challenge to be no dif-ferent for ISPLS. We experienced things in 2007 that were not anticipated such as hiring a new lobbyist, the Land Surveying Geomatics Engineering program at Purdue University, and the equipment needs of Vincennes University to name a few. I expect to face new challenges, with the help of the membership of ISPLS and the Board of Directors, and come up with the best solution to improve the Profession of Land Surveying.

The 2008 ISPLS Annual Convention was a great success! Some of the highlights from my perspective were: the exhibit hall, which had a great representation of all areas of the land surveying community; the Thursday night banquet, attended by members of ISPLS and Senator Jim Merritt, Jr, Majority Caucus Chairman who addressed the members of ISPLS on his views of the future for the State of Indiana; and the several interesting topics presented in the seminars that were experienced by those who attended the convention. A big thank you goes out to Doug Herendeen; the staff at ISPLS; and the members of the Initial Point Chapter and the members of the Wabash Valley Chapter, who co-hosted the 2008 annual convention. The hard work that went into the convention is greatly appreciated by all.

The legislative committee and our lobbyist, who is Michael O’Brien with Bose Public Affairs Group, have been very active in reviewing proposed legislation. HB 1265 – which is the legislation opposed by the ISPLS because it provided a loop hole for education and training in the process to become professional surveyors if a person had ten years of land surveying experience. This legislation was contained early, but is now officially dead. The committee and Michael will, of course, be monitoring amendments and committee action to ensure it is not added to another bill in the second half of session.

There are members of ISPLS who are members of the newly formed Vincennes University Land Surveying Alumni Group Foundation. This group will help lead the way for private land surveying companies, equipment manufacturers, ISPLS, and the local ISPLS Chapters to contribute to future needs of the Vincennes University Land Surveying Program. The Vincennes University Land Surveying Alumni Group Foundation was formed in Janu-ary of 2008, and provides another avenue for the Land Surveying Profession to have a voice at the University. I believe this group will lead the way for other Surveying Programs throughout this state to establish something similar at other Universities. I have seen ISPLS take active roles over the last 20 years in promoting continuing education for Professional Land Surveyors. This Foun-dation Group is a good example of a way to continue the education process allows successful Land Surveyors to give back to a program that it was responsible for where they are at today. There are also many Surveying companies that have benefited from the Vincennes University Surveying Program by employing former V.U. students. It is important that V.U. continue to provide a well-trained cadre of graduates for the surveying work force.

To continue in the footsteps of Ed Sweetland (as all surveyors should do-“FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS”) who is now the past-president of ISPLS, I would like to tell you a little about some of the things I do outside the circle of land surveying. I have a love and passion for raising registered Angus cattle. I was raised on a farm where my father started our Angus herd in 1967. My family (two brothers, my mother, my wife, and three children) all work together on the farm. We presently have around 60 brood cows, which is equal to about 100-head, counting calves. Farming is a lot like running a land surveying company. If you counted all the time you spent working at it, you would not make very much money. I am currently involved in the leadership of the 4-H Coun-cil for Jackson County. 4-H has been a great organization for the development and growth of the youth in our community and I am proud to be involved with it. I will stop there and continue in my next message about some other things that I am involved with.

In conclusion, I would like to challenge everyone to be involved in their local surveying chapter and in ISPLS. I will attempt to make a visit to each chapter at one of its meetings in the coming year. I know we are all busy in all that we do, however keep in mind that by working and supporting our profession we will enhance our public image.

Mark R. Isaacs. PLS


September 15, 2007 The ISPLS Board of Directors met on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at ISPLS Headquarters. President Ed Sweetland called the meeting to order at 9:11 a.m.. The minutes and treasurer’s report were reviewed and approved. Staff Activity Report - A written report was submitted for board review. Communication - Membership - The BOD reviewed and ap-proved the membership applications submitted by the membership committee. Hoosier Surveyor - Articles for the Fall issue need to be sub-mitted by October 15th. Education Committee - The ISPLS Annual Convention agenda was presented to the BOD. Licensing Exam Review - The review is scheduled for Sep-tember 29th at the University of Southern Indiana, Evansville. County Surveyors - The section corner tie card efforts will begin again by the committee. GPS-GIS Monumentation - The committee will be meeting on Tuesday, September 18th. Legislation - ISPLS is searching for a new lobbyist. Internal Affairs - Nominations - The committee presented the names of Dan Kovert and Todd Bauer to the BOD as the 2008 President-Elect nominees. Chapter Reports - Verbal reports were given from the Northwest Chapter, Northeast Chapter, Tecumseh Chapter, Central Indiana Chapter, Hoosier Hills Chapter, Initial Point Chapter, and the Southwest Chapter. Next BOD meeting is October 20, 2007 at Indianapolis Mar-riott East, Indianapolis.

October 20, 2007 The ISPLS Board of Directors met on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at Marriott East Indianapolis. President, Ed Sweetland called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. The minutes and treasurer’s report were reviewed and approved. Staff Activity Report - A written report was submitted for board review. Adjustment to Agenda - Doug Herendeen made a presentation about the 2008 Annual Convention program. Roger Woodfill discussed the ISPLS support of the Boy Scouts of America regarding “Surveying Merit Badges”, the Indiana/Illinois Stateline and GPS remonumentation. Roger and Ed Sweetland also updated the board on the Purdue University Surveying Program Advisory Board. Communications - Hoosier Surveyor - The next issue will go to the printer by the end of the month. Professional Development - Scholarships- The status of the Purdue scholarship was discussed. Government Affairs - Board of Registration - Their next meet-ing is scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, 2007. NSPS Governor - Don Bengel gave a report on the Fall National Convention for NSPS . The convention runs from September 28th through October 1st, 2007 in Arlington, Virginia.

ISPLS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINg HIgHLIgHTSby Dianne Bennett, Executive Director

Legislation - There was discussion on the search for an ISPLS lobbyist. The selection committee has interview meetings set up for Wednesday, October 24, 2007. A motion was made and passed to allow the selection committee to select and hire a firm to begin work as of November 1, 2007. Internal Affairs - Nominations - Possible nominees for the BOD positions were discussed by the BOD. Chapters - No reports were given due to time.

December 15, 2007 The ISPLS Board of Directors met on Saturday, December 15, 2007 at ISPLS headquarters. President Ed Sweetland called the meeting to order at 9:11 a.m.. The minutes and treasurer’s report were reviewed and approved. Adjustments to Agenda - Roger Woodfill updated the board on the Boy Scout Surveying Merit Badge initiative. Rich Hudson updated the board on the Indiana/Michigan Stateline monumentation. Vincennes University Advisory Board Agreement - Ed Sweet-land presented the VU Advisory Board agreement to the board. There were a few changes suggested for the document. The revised document will be sent to VU. Purdue Program Letter/Questionnaire - The letter and question-naire was presented to the board for review. Communication - Membership - The BOD reviewed and ap-proved the membership applications submitted by the membership committee. Professional Development - Education Committee - The reasons (finances) behind the boards “past decision” for the % of profit given to a chapter that co-hosts the Annual Convention were reviewed. An ad-hoc committee was established to review the change in percentage . Scholarships - A report was given on the Purdue University Land Surveying scholarship agreement. The board will seek legal review and assistance with the scholarship agreement. Government Affairs - Legislation - It was announced that ISPLS now has a full time lobbyist, Bose Public Affairs Group (BPAG). There will be a joint ACEC/ISPLS Legislative committee meeting at ISPLS headquarters on Monday, December 18, 2007. Internal Affairs - ByLaws - Don Bengel presented the proposed Constitution and the proposed By-laws for the board’s review. After revisions are made the proposed constitution will be presented to the BOD for a “vote” by email on Monday, December 17, 2007 and then will be forwarded to the general membership by Tuesday, December 18, 2007. Nominations - President Elect results - Dan Kovert was elected. A motion was made and passed to destroy the ballots. Chapters - Reports on chapter activities were reported for the Hoosier Hills Chapter, Greenville Treaty and Southwest Chapter.


The South Dakota Society of Professional Land Surveyors 25th Anniversary Celebration

SDSPLS invites you to join us for their 25th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. We will be celebrating with a special tribute to the three surveying presi-dents, reviewing highlights of South Dakota surveying and taking a group photo. The program will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater and will conclude at 4:30 p.m. with a group photo (300+ Surveyors and One other Guy) on the viewing terrace.

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Please comPlete the following registration information:RetuRn by SeptembeR 1, 2008 with youR check payable to: SDSPLS•POBOx8154•RaPiDCity,SD57709Name: __________________________________________GueSt: __________________________________________aDDReSS: ________________________________________City: ___________________________________________State/ZiP: _______________________________________PhONe:__________________________________________e-maiL: _________________________________________ (for contact purposes only - no solicitations)

foR additional infoRmation contact: Janelle Finck - Executive Director (605)[email protected]

A banquet will follow at 6:00 p.m. in the President's Dining Room at Mt. Rushmore. Registration for the banquet is separate from the program and seating is limited, so register early. The outdoor amphitheater is a beautiful setting at the base of the monument. SD weather is generally temperate and in the 70's at this time of year but we recommend that you dress for possibly cooler temperatures and bring an umbrella, stadium seat or cushion for your comfort. We hope that you can join us for this special event.

sDPls 25th anniversary Program

Program registration - $50 / yOuaNDyOuRGueSt 1GROuPPhOtOatmOuNtRuShmORe

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Vincennes University Land Surveying Alumni groupby James Tibbett, PLS, Linton, IN

One of the charges of the ISPLS Board of Directors is to serve as an advisory committee for Vincennes University Land Surveying Program. The ISPLS Board of Directors has performed this func-tion for several years and I, as a member of the Board of Directors, have had the pleasure to participate in the annual program review the last two years. During each of the past two program reviews with representa-tives from Vincennes University (Mr. Art Haase, Mr. Bill Clark, and Mr. Austin Yake) I found that the program is organized by Mr. Clark and Mr. Yake with a consistent enrollment well above other land surveying programs within the State of Indiana (In 2006 the program had 23 first year students and 19 second year students enrolled in the program). The demand for these students continues to be strong, and the job placement is as excellent as it was back in 1981 when I graduated from the Land Surveying Program. The University and the Land Surveying Program instructors have kept the class rooms and computer equipment current and up to date, but the survey equipment has not kept pace with the industry standards and recent technological advancements. This is not to say that the Vincennes Program does not have any surveying equipment. In the summer of 2007 the program had nine working total stations for the 42 students enrolled in the program. The survey program has asked Vincennes University for additional funding for new equip-ment, but has only received limited funds to support this Endeavour. You have to understand that the survey program is a small program within the University, and there are many other programs with higher enrollments that compete for University funding. To truly understand the need and importance of current land surveying equipment, you must understand the amount of time each individual student spends in the field laboratory preparing to enter our profession of land surveying. As noted before, in 2006 the Program had 23 first year students and 19 second year students enrolled in the program. During the fall 2006 semester 19 students within the program each individually logged 230 lab hours of land surveying field experience. During the Spring 2007 semester the entire enrollment of the program (42 students in all) participated in land surveying field exercises, with the 19 second year students logging 110 hours each and the 23 first year students logging 80 hours each. These efforts equate to approximately 8,300 hours of use each academic school year by the students of the VU Land Surveying program. As I stated before, during the 2006 academic year the Program had only nine working, and somewhat aged, total stations and 42 students needing to learn how to use the equipment. These students and the VU Program represent the future of our profession and I believed that something else had to be done. As a result of several meetings, and some long telephone calls, I was able to put together a meeting between the Topcon Company, Positioning Solutions, Inc. of Indianapolis, and Vincennes University to review alterna-tive methods to provide additional equipment and funding for the program. We came to an agreement that would help the program by providing four new total stations for the 2007 academic year, of which two of the instruments would be replaced annually for

the next five years. Topcon and Positioning Solutions agreed to provide the equipment for a reasonable fee, and the ISPLS Board of Directors in a commitment to the future of our profession made a, one time donation of $10,000.00 to make this offer a reality. As I stated before the budget constraints of Vincennes University made their additional involvement difficult. After an outside entity became interested in the program and the ISPLS made a com-mitment to participate in the future of the program, the University also committed to additional funding to enhance the grant with the purchase of data collectors to go with the new total stations. All of these recent activities and commitments by Topcon, Positioning Solutions, ISPLS and Vincennes University are won-derful and greatly appreciated, but it is not the answer to fix the long term problem. What must be addressed now, is where will the next round of equipment come from? As a company owner myself, I expect a graduate from the V. U. Program to know how the modern survey equipment works, to be familiar with its operation, and to be able to run the equipment effectively. The answer to this problem is the newly formed Vincennes University Land Surveying Alumni Group Foundation. With your help, private land surveying companies, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, ISPLS, and lo-cal ISPLS Chapters, can all contribute to the Vincennes University Land Surveying Alumni Group Foundation together we can solve the long/term problem. The VU Land Surveying Alumni Group Foundation was formed in January of 2008 and consists of seven initial board members: Cindy Candler, Ryan Swingley, Austin Yake, Zach Beasley, George Ridgeway, Ed Sweetland and myself. We are committed to the suc-cess and future of the V.U program. We have personally contributed to the Foundation. The objectives of this VU Land Surveying Alumni Group Foundation are to:

V.U. Land Surveying Technology student, Jedadiah Mullen traversing with the new Topcon equipment

...continued Page 6


V.U. Alumni group...continued from Page 5

1. Actively support the VU Surveying Technology program; 2. Showcase and promote the VU Surveying Technology program; 3. Become an active member of the VU Alumni Foundation; 4. Provide a voice for and to the VU Surveying Technology Alumni with the University ; 5. Provide financial support for the Program to purchase or lease modern surveying equipment. We believe that Vincennes University has, and will continue to have, an important role in providing a higher education system for the study of Land Surveying. It has established a strong edu-cational foundation for the Land Surveying students to meet life’s challenges. Vincennes University constitutes a part of the future of the land surveying profession.

Agreement:James C. Tibbett and Edward J. Sweetland, Directors of the VU Land Surveying Alumni Group Foundation, Austin K. Yake, President of the VU Land Surveying Alumni Group and Bumper Hostetler, President of the Vincennes University Foundation, agree to the following stipulations pertaining to the VU Land Surveying Alumni Group Foundation Contributions:

1. Funds received by the VU Foundation from anyone wishing to contribute to the VU Land Surveying Alumni Group fund shall be used to establish and maintain said fund. 2. The VU Land Surveying Alumni Group fund will be estab-lished as a current restricted fund. 3. Investment income from alumni contributions will be ap-plied to the Fund’s principal balance, less normal administrative fees applied per Foundation policy for “Type B” Restricted funds. 4. The Fund proceeds shall only be used by the VU Surveying Technology program to purchase or lease modern land surveying equipment for academic purposes by the program’s students. Its proceeds shall not be used to fund scholarships, tuition or textbook reimbursement for students enrolled in the VU Surveying Technol-ogy program. 5. The distribution of funds shall be administrated by the Group’s Board of Directors consisting of seven members with one (1) member being a current full time VU Surveying Technology faculty member, three (3) members being VU Surveying Technol-ogy alumni and three (3) members being VU alumni. All equipment purchases shall be managed by the Board’s faculty member and shall be approved by a majority of the Board before the purchase can proceed. 6. Fund contributions shall be invested and otherwise admin-istered in accordance with fund policies adopted by the Board of Directors of the Vincennes University Foundation. Please support this foundation. I believe in this program and see this as an investment in the future success of our land surveying profession.

Thank –youJames C. Tibbett, PLSISPLS Board of Director

Members of the Indiana-Michigan State Line Committee stepped back in time 180 years and two days in uncovering rem-nants early in November of the original 6-inch-square white oak post placed at Indiana’s northeast corner. The post was set by U.S. Deputy Surveyor Eleazer P. Kendrick on or about Oct. 30, 1827, according to the committee’s research. “At the reconstructed position for the Northeast Corner of In-diana, upon removal of the 6 to 8 inches of humus and overburden, we encountered a very firm (hard) yellowish clay soil which had no visible evidence of being disturbed,” secretary Norman Caldwell, PS, of Owosso, Mich., advised in an e-mail message. “As this subsoil was carefully peeled away in about one-quarter-inch layers, a square of dark material began to show. As additional layers were removed, the foreign material became more evident and eventually became a very well-defined square of wood fibers exactly 6 inches square. This material was first observed at about 8 inches below the ground surface and continued to a depth of about 15 inches.” Caldwell indicated the site had been closely defined by earlier reconstruction of surveys made by George Mark, county surveyor in Hillsdale County, Mich., from 1871 to 1907. Committee chairman Jack Owens, PS, of Flint, Mich., said Kendrick’s notes specifically mentioned placing a square post at the northeast corner – in contrast to what likely were rounded saplings at the individual mile points. Special bronze caps have been designed to be placed at the northeast corner and at each of the 104 mile markers set by Kend-rick. A special event is being planned to observe the remarking of the northeast corner. The committee also is concentrating on recording survey qual-ity latitude and longitude values on closing corners and control monument positions in Indiana and Michigan, especially in the first 50 or so miles east of the starting point of Indiana’s northern boundary on Lake Michigan. Owens said that township surveyors made ties that give references to probably three-fourths of those mile posts. The Global Positioning System data will aid greatly in finding the locations. So far, Owens said, about ten of the mile posts across Indiana’s northern boundary have been recovered and perpetuated. The group also put out a plea for any information regarding research of railroad plans and surveys for tracks crossing the state line. Caldwell reported ten known crossings, plus those of several major electric transmission lines, as well as the old military Chicago Road that crosses near Mile 22. This year’s agenda also includes working with the legislatures of Indiana and Michigan to form a boundary commission that could authorize resurveying the states’ common line and replacing any “lost” mile posts.

Indiana-Michigan State Line Updateby Mike Davis, Indianapolis





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ISPLS MEMBER TO SERVE SECOND TOUR OF DUTY IN IRAQby David B. H. Best, PLS, Indianapolis

When informed that a student member of ISPLS was planning for a second tour of duty in Iraq, Hoosier Surveyor editor David Best picked up the phone and called Ryan Selby in Washington, Indiana. Ryan’s mother answered the phone and said, “Ryan’s in class at Vincennes University. You can reach him on his cell phone.” Several phone calls later the two made contact and decided to conduct the interview by email. What follows is the result of that interview with Staff Sergeant Ryan A. Selby, a member of the Indiana National Guard 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Q: I understand that you are a member of the Indiana National guard. When did you enlist and what led you to become a member of the military?A: I am a member of the Indiana Army National Guard. I joined when I was seventeen during my senior year in high school. My father retired about four years ago with thirty-two and a half years of service in the Indiana Army National Guard. He was AGR, that is Active Guard and Reserve. He was a full time member at the armory every day for over twenty years of that time in the service. I started hanging around the military at a very young age. It just felt natural that I’d join when I was eligible.

Q: What is your military specialty? Of which unit are you a member?A: I am a member of D Company 1-151 INF, part of the 76th IBCT (Infantry Brigade Combat Team). I am a Mounted Infantry Squad Leader.

Q: I understand that you have already served a tour of duty in Iraq and that you are now scheduled to return for a second tour.Tellwhat you canaboutyourfirst tour.Didyouhavedirect contact with the Iraqi people? If so, how were you re-ceived by them?A: Yes, I did serve one tour in Iraq. I was there from February 2003 to February 2004. We were there before the war started doing various tasks in Kuwait. After the first units pushed forward into Iraq at the start of the war we moved in behind them to secure one of the fuel points just south of Baghdad. I did have direct contact with the Iraqi people of that area. We were very well received. We were able to help the Iraqis rebuild bridges. We were able to visit some of their schools. We allowed the Iraqis to set up a small market place along a section of our camp to sell various items to the soldiers moving through the fuel point. The Iraqis enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the American soldiers.

Q: Were you involved in any non-military activities with the Iraqi people? A: I was fortunate to have a meal with an Iraqi man. We sat on the floor, as is the custom, with a feast of fresh chicken on pita bread, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruit. I talked to him about Iraqi culture and the traditions of his country.

Q: Will your second tour of duty in Iraq involve activities similar tothoseofyourfirsttour?Willthelengthofyoursecondtourbethesameasthefirsttour?A: We do not know what our mission will be during the second tour. Its length is scheduled to be one year also.

Q: The term “Band of Brothers” is used to describe the rela-tionship members of a military unit have with each other. In yourexperiencedoyoufindthistobetrue?A: Yes, I do believe this to be very true. The bond I have developed with these men would be very hard to break. With this deployment I am a leader of over a dozen men. I feel every one of them is like a son or brother to me.

Q: You are a student member of ISPLS enrolled at Vincennes University.Whatisyourmajorfieldofstudy?Whenwillyoucomplete your course work?A: I became a member of ISPLS after my return from Iraq in 2004. I started my course work the semester before my first deployment. I returned to the university after the deployment and completed my Associates Degree in Land Surveying in May of 2006. I then enrolled in its new Technology Management Bachelor’s Degree program. I am now one semester shy of completing my bachelor’s degree. I am scheduled to graduate in May of this year. However, I am now in training with my outfit at Ft. Stewart, Georgia prior to my second deployment. I plan to continue my course work from my overseas’ station, if the facilities and my outfit’s mission permits it.

Q: How did you become interested in surveying?A: During my junior year in high school I was required to job shadow a local professional as part of one of my class assignments. I was matched with Ed Barnett, the City Engineer of Washington, Indiana. Mr. Barnett is dually licensed as a Land Surveyor and a Professional (Civil) Engineer. He took me out that day to do topographic survey work for a sewer relocation plan he was developing. I enjoyed that day in the field. It led me to begin research on land surveying as a career. As my interest in surveying increased I decided to enroll in the Land Surveying program at Vincennes University when I returned from my National Guard basic training.

Q: What aspect of land surveying holds the greatest interest for you?A: I like most aspects of land surveying. I am very interested in the history of boundary surveying. Since my introduction to surveying was a topographic survey job, it continues to hold my interest.

Q: Beyond your military service and your degree work at Vincennes University what are you interests, hobbies, and outside activities?A: I thoroughly enjoy geocaching with my fiancé and any activity that keeps me outside.


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The Northwest Chapter of the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors Celebrates the Holidays

The Northwest Chapter of the Indiana Society of Profes-sional Land Surveyors celebrated the holidays during their chapter meeting on December 13, 2007, at the Casa Del Roma Banquet Center in Valparaiso, Indiana. This years Holiday Celebration extended invitations to all chapter members and their families, as well as to ISPLS and community dignitar-ies. The annual meeting provides the opportunity to thank the out-going chapter president, welcome the incoming president, and present special awards. The celebration also provided holiday entertainment from a local jazz pianist, as well as the local high school Varsity Singers. In addition, the holiday celebration wasn’t complete without a visit from Santa Claus.

For the last several years, the Northwest Chapter has held an annual raffle and auction during their holiday celebration to benefit the chapter’s Scholarship Program. The program was established in memoriam to Ordell L. Gertsmeier to pro-vide financial assistance to qualified and deserving students interested in pursuing a career in the Land Surveying Profes-sion and to those pursuing a college education as a means to advance their career in the field of Land Surveying.

This year the chapter members voted to expand their giv-ing from the proceeds generated from the raffle and auction to include the Arthur B. and Ethel V. Horton VNA Hospice

Center. The center welcomes terminally ill patients who re-quire special care. Several members of the chapter families have found comfort in the use of this unique facility. They felt compelled to give back to the center.

In previous years, chapter members had primarily pro-vided donations for the raffle and auction. This year, the chapter solicited donations from a number of local and national businesses in an attempt to increase funds generated for the raffle and auction. Items donated from businesses, together with those from chapter members, were placed in the raffle and auction. The proceeds from the raffle and auction, as well as monetary contributions from businesses, generated over $1300.

The Northwest Chapter would like to offer its apprecia-tion to the many companies that made contributions: Borzych Iron LLC; Astro Wood Stake, Inc.; Aerocon Photogrammetric Services, Inc.; Air Maps, Inc.; Soil Solutions, Inc.; Berntsen International Inc.; Seiler Instrument Company; The American Surveyor Magazine; Professional Surveyors Magazine; POB Magazine; John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; and HubTack Document Resources. The generous contributions and support from those companies will positively impact the chapter scholar-ship program and the VNA Hospice Center.

(from left to right)Lynda Krueger, Hospice volunteer; Dave Croft, chapter member; Don Bengel, chapter past president; Eric Banschbach, chapter member; Avonne Tomerline, Hospice RN; Rich Hudson, chapter sec/treas.; Brian Blake, Hospice volunteer; Troy Smith, chapter member; Sandy Johnson, Hospice RN.

On Jan. 9, 2007, members of the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors presented a donation to volunteers of the Arthur B. and Ethel V. Horton VNA Hospice Center in Valparaiso. The donation was part of the proceeds raised from an annual raffle and auction held during the chapter’s annual Holiday Celebration held on December 13, 2007. The remaining portion of the proceeds benefit the chapter’s scholarship program.


ISPLS 56th - Annual Convention HighlightsAdam’s Mark Hotel, Indianapolis (January 16-18, 2008)

Bill Clark, Vincennes, receives ISPLS Polaris Award from outgoing president

Ed Sweetland, Greenfield.

Rick Miller, Indianapolis, receives Presidents award from outgoing

president Ed Sweetland, Greenfield.

Hosted byInitial Point and

Wabash Valley ChapterAttendance:

Full time - 504One Day - 48Student - 29Spouse - 21

Tech Program - 40

Ryan Swingley, (r) Fishers, recieves President's award from outgoing

president Ed Sweetland, Greenfield.

Dan Pusey, W. Lafayette, announces Tecumseh Scholarship basket winners.

"Three Bulldogs and a Buckeye"

Thanks to our 2008 ExhibitorsAdvanced Laser and Instruments, Indianapolis, INAerocon Photogrammetric Services, Inc., Avon, IN

Agency Associates, Inc., Zionsville, INAstro Wood Stake, Inc., Zeeland, MIAvatech Solutions, Owing Mills, MD

Carlson Software, Maysville, KYContinental Sales, Fort Wayne, IN

Ellerbusch Instruments Co., Cincinnati, OHHub Tack, Inc., Naperville, IL

IDNR Division of Water Indiana, Indianapolis, INIndiana Surveyors Historical Society, Lawrenceburg, IN

Marbaugh Reprographics Supply, Indianapolis, INNational Association of County Surveyors, Noblesville, IN

National Museum of Surveying, Lansing, MIPinnacle Mapping Technologies, Indianapolis, INPositioning Solutions Company, Indianapolis, IN

Priority Engineering, Indianapolis, IN Rinker Materials - Storm Ceptor, Greenfield, IN

Seiler Instruments, Indianapolis, INThe Sidwell Company, St. Charles, IL

Smart Vent Inc., Pitman, NJUnderground Safety Alliance, Greenwood, IN

Pictures provided by Henry Alridge


Speaker: David Hurley, Tampa, Fl

Speaker: Frank Ballintyn,Sellersburg, IN

Speaker: Ronald Koons,Middletown, IN

Speaker: Rod Renkenberger, Fort Wayne, IN

Speaker: Mike Fink,Fountain, CO

Speaker: Renee Shields,Silver Spring, MD

Speaker: Chris Pearson,Springfield, IL

Speaker: Gary Kent,Noblesville, IN

Speaker: Ron Raney,Indianapolis, IN

Speaker: Anthony Gregory, Hobart, IN

ISPLS Lobbyist:Michael R. O'Brien,

Indianapolis

John UpDike (l) Fort Wayne, & Doug

Herendeen, New Palestine

Speaker: Jeff Healy,Plainfield, IN

Vincennes University students in attendance Purdue University students in attendance


ISPLS 56th - Annual Convention Highlights

Ryan Swingley (l) receives Golf bag& putter from Carlson Software.

Jay Poe (l) receives a pouch-plumb bobfrom Ellerbusch Instruments.

Carlos Castaneda (l) receives aDigital Camera from Astro Wood Stakes.

Steve Roeschlein (l) receives a Master Card gift card from Agency Associates.

Jacob Hoffman (r) receives a3 in 1 jacket from Seiler Instruments.

Michael Lewandowski (l) receives ajacket from Positioning Solutions.

Mark Chamness (l) receives aLoon Lake Lodge gift card

from Advanced Survey Solutions.

Gordon Moore (r) receivesLasting Impressions Book and

cap from Bernsten

Keith Etheridge recieves George Washington puzzle from the Indiana Historical Society.

Bill Stodghill (l) and Doug Herendeen (r) start the exhibit hall raffle.

Orwic Johnson, Columbus, is dressed for dinner.

Ron Wharry (l) receives Putterfrom Carlson Software


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There will always be logistical issues in surveying. The one thing I haven’t learned to do is to be in two places at once, but I am working very hard on learning how to do that. Hayes in Tennessee and me in Florida has never been an issue. The truth of the matter is that with overnight deliveries, the internet, email, FTP access and the telephone we can all do business with just about anyone we want.

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Selby Tour of Iraq...continued from Page 11

Q: What are your long-range goals?A: I plan to finish my college education within a year after return-ing from my deployment in Iraq. I was offered a full time position with American Structurepoint, Inc. when I return from Iraq. I’m looking forward to working for Structurepoint. I plan to sit for the Indiana Land Surveyor’s Examination as soon as I have met all of the preliminary requirements.

Q: Tell about your family and your high school activities.A: My parents are Charles and Christa Selby. Aaron and Chris are my brothers. I am engaged to Natalie Duryea of Vincennes, Indiana. We plan to marry in July of 2009. I attended Washington Catholic High School where I was a member of the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC). I participated in many of the NJROTC activities. I was a member of the drill team, its color guard, and the physical fitness team. In my senior year I was the commanding officer of my NJROTC unit. I was a member of my school’s cross-country team. I was co-captain of the team my senior year.

Q: What other thoughts would you like to share with our ISPLS readers?A: I’d like to add as I have noted above that I was attracted to the land surveying profession by Ed Barnett. From the first time I worked with him, he became my mentor. For the past four years he has been an amazing mentor to me. He is an outstanding surveyor to work for. He is always eager to share his many years of survey-ing experience and knowledge with me, a fledgling surveyor. I graduated at the top of my class at Vincennes University, thanks in great part to the influence of Ed Barnett. During the summers of 2006 and 2007 I worked for American Structurepoint. This is a fine company to work for. Though my work with Structurepoint has been brief to date, I hope it will become a long-lasting relationship when I return in 2009 to work full time.

I also want to thank all those people from home who are already being so supportive of the local troops deploying. It makes the time away so much better knowing that we have the support of our local communities back home. The families still in the states also enjoy knowing the support is there for them also.

I am not the only surveyor in my unit. Joshua Henderson of the Easley Engineering firm of Evansville, Indiana is also a member of my company. It makes it nice to have another member of the land surveying profession to talk with. We share our field crew stories and provide each other with that little touch of home while we are away.

Ed. Note: The Hoosier Surveyor will stay abreast of Ryan Selby’s deployment in Iraq. We will provide up date reports in future issues.

Susan Bodkin - AssociateBrad DeReamer - ProfessionalKristopher Eichorn - AssociateTravis Fetter - AssociateHeather Kraeszieg - AssociateChristopher Lewark - AssociateRichard Mote - ProfessionalBrian Mundy - AssociateTimothy Murphy - Professional

Frank Nichole - AssociateJeffery Nugent - AssociateBobby Renneker - AssociateMark Settlemyre - ProfessionalJoseph Sharp - ProfessionalAnthony Syers - AssociateAndrew Wilken - AssociateLisa Wimmer - Associate

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...continued Page 23

MEET A MEMBERby David B. H. Best, PLS, Indianapolis

Robert C. Vollmer, L.S., is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, members of ISPLS. He will be four score and eleven on May 20, 2008. He continues to be active in the field as a surveyor for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry. Bob is a raconteur of the first order. He retains an incredible ability to recall events of his life. What follows are selected excerpts from a recent interview.

Q: Tell about your “growing up” years.A: I was born in my grandmother’s house in Washington, Indiana on May 20, 1917. I was the oldest of three children. My brother Daniel died in combat in the South Pacific during the battle for Tawara Island. My father was an engineer for the old B & O Railroad. I remember the years of the Great Depression. My Dad took me down to the railroad station in Washington to see President Herbert Hoover address the crowd from the train’s observation car. Unemployment was rampant. It echoed the words of Captain John Smith at Jamestown: “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” By studying electronics and building radios I received a First Class Radio and Telephone License from the FCC.

Q: What direction did your life take after high school?A: I became interested in burglar alarms and security systems. I built tear gas guns for safe and vault protection devices, but could not market them. One of the jobs I liked best was installing electric eyes (photo cells) around the Lufkin Rule Company plant in Saginaw, Michigan. My intense interest in needing to know how things worked led me into building speedboats after World War II. The first one sank on its initial trial. Archimedes, where were you when I needed you? Eventually I crafted a hydroplane powered by an eight-cylinder Hudson engine purchased for twenty-five dollars. Its test run was on the Salton Sea in California’s Imperial Valley. While going about 90 mph the boat split a seam and sank before I could make it to shore. The propeller from that boat is on display atop my bookcase in my home.

Q: You consider December 7, 1941 to be a turning point in your life. Tell about your experience in the military service.A: Prior to December 7th while living in Saginaw, Michigan I enlisted in the British Army. I was about to drive to Halifax, Nova Scotia for shipment to England when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. I received a telegram from the War Department instructing me to remain in Saginaw until I received an enlistment release letter. I then proceeded to enlist in all four branches of service. The first one to say, “Let’s go!” would be my branch of service. I had already taken oaths with the Navy and the Marine Corps. I had created a real messy situ-ation. A lengthy hearing before a Navy Chief resolved my dilemma. I was assigned to an engineering battalion. Instead of heading for the South Pacific our troop ship joined a convoy sailing for the Aleutian Islands. Our final destination was Massacre Bay on Attu Island. Our enemy was twofold: The Japanese and Attu’s mountainous terrain covered with ice, snow, and mud down to the shoreline. My assign-ment was to man a 50-calibre machine gun in an emplacement high above Massacre Bay.

Q: Describe the almost life-ending experience you had on Attu Island.A: I had met the USS Casco in the Bay for mail call for the men in our emplacement. As I returned to my station I suddenly found myself in the midst of a chaotic situation. At that point all h— broke loose. I was tumbling down and around. My head was swimming as I kept rolling. All at once there was no sound and no light. I realized then that it was an avalanche. I couldn’t move. My body was twisted as

though I was in a wrestling match. I did have one arm hooked at the top of my head. That was my ace in the hole. This was my first practice in surveying! I made a cone-shaped open area over my head with my free arm by packing the snow outward. I had to know which way was UP so I could dig in the right direction. I would grab a handful of snow, hold it up over my head, and then let it fall, simulating a plumb bob. I remember it hitting me square in the face. Now I knew the direction in which to dig. It took a while to free my other arm that was wedged behind my back. I kept grabbing a handful of snow here and jamming it there. I had some doubts about getting out alive. I said my prayers and kept on inching a little at a time. After about four hours I finally broke through. But I couldn’t walk. I crawled to the nearest Quonset house. I was taken to the field hospital. I have no idea what happened to the mail I was carrying.

Q: You completed your World War II service in the South Pa-cifictheater.Ononeoftheislandsyoureceivedanotherjolt.Tellabout it.A: I was running telephone lines through the jungle. Commander Laycock from Houston, Texas was in charge of my outfit. He was a great, intelligent, and very thoughtful officer. When I was hooking up his hand-cranked telephone in his tent, I noticed a neatly placed item on a box in the center of his tent. It was a biography of Thomas Jefferson, Commander Laycock’s hero. This was another link in the chain of events leading to my surveying career, since Mr. Jefferson followed in the footsteps of his father Peter Jefferson, the county surveyor of Culpepper County, Virginia.

I also strung high voltage lines through cocoanut trees throughout the jungle. One rainy day I was in a tree splicing cables. I told the midshipman on the ground to throw the generator switch in ten min-utes. Instead, he threw the switch immediately. I couldn’t let go of the cable. How I was trembling! My shaking knees saved my life.. Their vibrations jolted my gaffs out of the tree. My body fall broke me loose.

Q: What did you do after the war ended and you received your Navy discharge?A: I settled in Palm Springs, California. There I worked in construc-tion and began what I thought might be a flying career. My plane was a Porterfield. It took about an hour to climb high enough to clear the mountains. One day I made an emergency landing in an alfalfa field when the heat gauge needle hit the peg. I was out of oil. Contaminated oil reduced the piston ring grooves to powdered carbon. This was about the same time I lost my speedboat in Salton Sea.

Q: This was the time you decided to pursue a college educa-tion. Where did you enroll? A. I enrolled in the University of California at Berkley. As I look back at my years in the service I now realize that virtually every military operation in one way or another depended upon some phase of surveying. Some of us were schooled in making astronomic observations, specifically in the region of the Southern Cross. I remember observing the officer of the deck of the troop transports using a sextant and a wristwatch to find our position at sea. These recollections convinced me to study surveying. One of my professors at Berkley was Raymond Davis, the author of a surveying textbook used as a reference by the courts. Later I transferred to Purdue University. By then I was married and my wife was expecting. We bought a lot on North River Road and


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built a house overlooking the Wabash River. It was a challenge to build a house and at the same time pursue a degree in civil engineering. I completed my degree in civil engineering from Purdue in 1952. We bought a farm along the East Fork of White River at Hindostan Falls. I became the project engineer on the Glendale Dam and Reservoir. This work kindled an interest in flood control and navigable waterways. I became a working of-ficial with the Wabash Valley Association. We conducted a study to create a navigable waterway from the mouth of the Wabash River up the Wabash Valley to Ft. Wayne and then down the Maumee River to Toledo, Ohio. I made presentations before the Appropriations and Public Works Committees of the U. S. House of Representatives. Though we were not successful in getting full funding for the project, we did obtain funding for the study and for the construction of most of the large reservoirs in Indiana.

Q: Describe the innovative measures you employed in survey-ing the many miles of forestry lands.A: The Indiana Division of Forestry has over a thousand miles of property lines with many problems associated with them. This was when I decided to obtain my Indiana land surveyor’s license. Our forestry survey work predated the GPS revolution. Searching for corner stones in rugged, dense wooded areas was a time-consuming task, especially after timber cutting time. We devised a plan that utilized an airplane. It was like boot camp war games. We’d load the plane with two-pound sacks of flour. Often we’d buy all the flour they had in a store. We would fly out of the search area, pick up a county road on the correct section line, and then fly north until the corresponding east-west sec-tion line was directly under the plane. After several dry runs to establish a favorable bearing we would fly the line for marking. As we got within striking distance we rapidly threw the flour sacks straight down: POW, POW, POW! We repeated the ritual for the east-west line. Near the intersection of the two marked lines we usually found a corner stone. It was a novel procedure, but it worked. I experimented with another novel time-saving procedure to reduce the time-consuming and hazardous work of running survey lines through dense undergrowth and prickly multi-flora rose hedge rows. I’d fill a surplus twenty-five-cent weather balloon with 525 cubic feet of helium gas to lift a seven-pound target, a plumb bob, one hundred feet of piano wire, and three positioning guy wires. We’d position the unit over the point in a damper dish. The budget office turned us down because they wouldn’t approve the $46.00 expense per set up for helium.

Q. What problems did you encounter with members of your survey parties?A: It was a scorching-hot summer day. We were cutting through a large patch of briars when tempers really flared to a high pitch. Sev-eral members of the crew engaged in a bloody machete fight. Two of them I transported to the hospital. The claims for workmen’s comp insurance presented a creative challenge to me. One man ran a fence post through his foot. Another felled a thorn tree on top of himself, while another man got his face tangled up in an electric fence. Later when all were healed we ended up with a good laugh.

Then I remember the time a lady in Rome City whacked me across the back with a rake when my head was turned. She was angry be-cause I reset a corner that had been moved about twelve feet to give her access to a spring. I looked like an embattled Crusader with my

white shirt splattered with blood. One time while we were surveying in the Corydon area a woman ripped the shirt off of my back. The excitement never ends in the wooded areas!

Q: Do people often ask you why you are still working when you are now 90 plus?A: Yes, they do. In fact, they ask me that as though it’s a sin to be working when you’re in what they consider to be your dotage. I anticipate their question and answer, “Yes, I am 90 years old!”

Q: Will you compare government surveying to that of private practice?A: I have been told often that my responsibility is to protect the property belonging to the citizens of Indiana. I see no difference in the quality of work. I think you will find similar efficiency spread in both sectors. After 45 years of service, perhaps the most pronounced difference in some cases is determined by political interference. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen very often, but when it does occur you learn to live with the clash. Every administration change brings along with it a few new rules. With over a thousand miles of property lines, there seems to be no end to the encroachments we find. It is noteworthy that adverse possession does not apply against the government.

Q: If you had the opportunity, would you like to take a trip back totheSouthPacifictoreliveyourWorldWarIIdayofservice?A: Yes, I’d like to make an extended search vacation to one of the islands we captured. I’d need to take along a metal detector to locate a Colt 45-automatic I buried on short notice. Our battalion was pulling up stakes to board a transport to head for another island. A buddy of mine told me about bag inspections they might conduct after we were aboard ship. Any unauthorized items would be confiscated with the possibility of arrest and maybe spending a term in Leavenworth. I stashed the pistol where some day after the war it might be recovered. Now, after 60 years, I know it is probably a pile of rust. But what a thrill it would be to unearth it and say, “I buried that thing some 60 years ago.” I originally took possession of the weapon under what might be said were “unusual circumstances.” Incidentally, there never was a bag inspection aboard the transport.

Q:Whatfinalrecollectionsdoyouhaveofyouryearsofsurveyingwith the Division of Forestry?A: The most difficult surveys were those executed with transit, tape, and plumb bobs. Some hills were so steep they even seemed to lean back a little. If one lost his footing he’d crash to the bottom in a few seconds. Then it would take perhaps an hour to return to his original position. I remember a job that required chaining across an airport landing strip. The control tower operator was to give us a red light, if we were exposed to danger. As soon as we had stretched the tape across the landing strip coming in for a landing was a DC 10. No red light! Some surveys offered excitement in other ways. Section 25 just west of Morocco, Indiana, on the Indiana-Illinois state line provided a thrill. I sensed that the section corner had to be in the vicinity. We had dug out the entire intersection with a backhoe. The hole was already two feet deep so I figured we might as well go another foot. The backhoe operator shouted out, “I’m hitting something.” I told him to pull it out. You could hear the sucking sound as the bucket lifted an original corner post out of the murky soil. The post was about three feet long and about six to seven inches in diameter. The bottom was pointed and charred for durability. The section number “25” was branded on a smoothed off place in the top of the post. It had been well-preserved in the swampy area with tons of road bed dumped and packed over it throughout the years. It was the kind of rewarding experience a surveyor always hopes for, but seldom enjoys.



HowMuchTrafficProtectionisRequired?By Ronald E. Koons, RoSaKo Safety

Over the years I have always tried to give specific examples of traffic safety situations where I felt surveying field crews were either doing things correctly or may have had room for improve-ment. My contact with you may be as short as a 1,000 word article or may be as long as a 30 hour OSHA class. I tend to find that when the contact time is short there can be frustration on the part on those attempting to gain knowledge. Some of the comments I receive include “…but I am just stopping to get one point that will take a couple of minutes. To set out signs and have a flag person would take so long I couldn’t make any money on the job!” or “No one can comply with all of the regulations so why try?” What many miss is that even though there are OSHA Regulations and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) that must be followed, there are allowances based upon what work is to be accomplished. OSHA has adopted the MUTCD as its standard for work zone traffic safety. However, OSHA also allows you to interject some common sense into any decisions you must make on how to protect your employees. When deciding how to best protect your employees you first consider the hazards that are present. Once you have determined the hazards you can then decide on the methods to eliminate or control the hazards. Engineering controls are always the best method because they normally offer a more permanent level of protection. An example in traffic safety would be to place a permanent or temporary barrier between the worker and traffic. This is done on many large roadway projects. The heavy concrete “Jersey” barriers offer a first line of protection to keep errant vehicles away from the work area. They aren’t perfect, but they do provide a much higher level of protection than a few safety cones. On much of your work it would be totally impractical to have several semi-trailers following your crews along with the heavy machinery to unload and load the barriers. While cost alone can’t always be a reason for lowering protection levels it has to be a factor. In the example of the barriers the largest factor is the additional exposure to workers while placing the barriers. If your total surveying job would take an hour and it would take a day to place the barriers and a day to remove them then workers would have far greater exposure to traffic hazards than the original work would have offered. Always consider what hazards are being created by the protection that is being used. Even when using something as simple as a pair of clear safety glasses there are hazards that may be created. The glasses can become dirty or steamed up and reduce the workers ability to see. If a permanent guard could be used then the worker may not even need safety glasses. Always look for the best option when providing any protection. Looking at the MUTCD we even find specific standards for considering the duration of the work. This is found in section 6G.02 of the MUTCD. There are five categories of work duration:

1. Long Term Stationary is work that occupies a location more than 3 days.

2. Intermediate-term stationary is work that occupies a loca-tion more than one daylight period up to 3 days, or nighttime work lasting more than 1 hour.

3. Short-term stationary is daytime work that occupies a loca-tion for more than 1 hour within a single daylight period.

4. Short duration is work that occupies a location up to 1 hour.5. Mobile is work that moves intermittently or continuously.

As you might gather from the brief descriptions above, Long Term Stationary would normally provide the highest level of protection. This also means it would most likely take the longest time to install and incur the most cost. That isn’t always true, but it certainly is a general guideline. Another very important factor in your decision is traffic counts. What might be appropriate for a 2 lane county road with 5 vehicles an hour wouldn’t work on 2 lane state highway with 200 vehicles an hour. Any work that is done during night or reduced lighting conditions would need reflective devices or lighting. With so many variables it is impossible to give an answer about what type of protection is needed in any situation without knowing all of the variables. During my seminars or speeches I invariably get questions about specific situations and what traffic protection is required. I always try to give the best answer possible with the information I received, but I have to add that it might not work in all cases and that any variables could totally change my answer. One glaring example of that is a surveyor who asked me about protec-tion on a rural roadway. He described the entire area and said there wasn’t much traffic…and then added “right now”. That sent up a red flag and I asked define “right now”. He said he had been working there and sometimes didn’t see a car for over an hour, but when they start building the ethanol plant the traffic would increase. That is a handy little piece of information to have. When we got into the issue he estimated there would be 80-100 trucks per day during the dirt work phase going in and out of the project. That is added on top of all of the construction workers. That alone makes a simple situation of much greater concern. Large trucks on county roads are sometimes very problematic. There may be enough room for a car to get by a station but is there enough room for a large truck? I can give a simple answer to “How Much Traffic Protection is Required?” by giving the universal answer “What ever is adequate to protect the workers.” However, that is a cop out because it doesn’t really solve your problem. What will solve your problem is training. I say this in every presentation and will continue to do so as long as I am a consultant. You have to provide training to your crews so they have the best available information to make an informed decision. While a 30-minute traffic safety course is not adequate, in most cases it doesn’t need to include a 4-year college degree as a Traffic Safety Engineer. When I conduct a brief traffic safety session for a surveying firm in 90 minutes to 2 hours I can give crews enough information to understand the basics. I also hope they can understand when they are over their heads and need to go back to the office for more help. The key here is that someone needs to have a higher level of training so they can help with the difficult situations. I am working on that now and hope to have a program put together in the future that will help every firm provide a higher level of training to a key person or two so they can help in all of your safety decisions. This would be specific for surveying and engineering firms. In the meantime, keep up to date on changes in the traffic safety area and monitor your crews to make sure they are attempting to comply with the levels of protection that are required. Good luck!


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ADVANCED SURVEY SOLUTIONS2220 N. Franklin RoadIndianapolis, IN 46219

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TRIMBLE5475 Kellenburger Road

Dayton, OH 45424(937) 233-8921

February 21, 2008IPLSA 51st Annual Conference, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield, ILMarch 1, 2008ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Headquarters, IndianapolisMarch 4-9, 20082008 ACSM/LSAW ConferenceSpkane Convention Center, Spokane, WAApril 11, 2008State Board of Registration meeting, Room W064, Indiana Government Center South, IndianapolisApril 12, 2008ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Headquarters, IndianapolisMay 9, 2008ISPLS seminar “Mock Trial”, Location: Marriott EastIndianapolisMay 17, 2008ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Headquarters, IndianapolisJune 21, 2008ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Vincennes University, VincennesJuly 11, 2008State Board of Registration meeting, Room W072, Indiana Government Center South, IndianapolisAugust 9, 2008ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Headquarters, IndianapolisSeptember 14, 2008State Board of Registration meeting, Room W064, Indiana Government Center South, IndianapolisSeptember 20, 2008ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Headquarters, IndianapolisSeptember 20, 2008South Dakota Society of Professional Land Surveyors 25th Anniversary Celebration, Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. For more information contact: Janelle Finck, (605) 348-1538 or [email protected] 8, 2008ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Headquarters, IndianapolisNovember 9, 2008State Board of Registration meeting, Room W064, Indiana Government Center South, IndianapolisDecember 6, 2008ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Headquarters, IndianapolisJanuary 14, 2009ISPLS BOD meeting, 9:00 a.m., Marriott East IndianapolisJanuary 14-16, 2009ISPLS 57th Annual Convention, Marriott East Indianapolis


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